ROME IMPROVEMENT 12/27/2020

MORE POWER!  MORE GLORY!!  MORE SPIRIT!!!

SURVEYING THE SITE—Luke 2:21-40

The musical of Luke continues this week when Mary and Jesus, accompanied by Joseph, arrive at the temple for purification. Simeon approaches and begins his song, “Now you let your servant go in peace: your word has been fulfilled.” (Simeon’s song has long been known in worship as the Nunc Dimittis, from the Latin translation.)

Later Simeon speaks a few words of caution, “This child is destined for the falling and the rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be opposed so that the inner thoughts of many will be revealed (and a sword will pierce your own soul too).  

At the moment of these disturbing words, Anna joins Simeon (with Joseph, Mary, and the baby) singing praises to God and telling everyone seeking the messiah and the redemption of Israel about Jesus. One can only imagine the duet sung by these two geriatrics and its dulcet tones of praise and caution.

Joseph and Mary then return to Nazareth where Jesus grows becoming “strong, filled with wisdom, and the favor of God was upon him.”

READING THE BLUEPRINT

Verse 21 informs us that the rites of circumcision and purification are not held the same day. (See Leviticus 12.) Circumcision physically marks Jesus as part of the first covenant community. On that day Jesus also receives his name.

The rite of purification is held the day Jesus and Mary are ready to be welcomed back into social interaction. Mary and Joseph make the journey back to Jerusalem, to the temple, for this purification rite. They are not wealthy, so they sacrifice two turtledoves or two young pigeons.

Simeon has also come to the temple for some purpose. When he sees the family, he takes Jesus (which means “God saves”) and blesses him. Simeon shares that he has received a vision in which he learned he would not die before he saw God’s salvation for the world.

Simeon also warns that the blessing of Jesus’ life will not go unopposed. Jesus’ life will reveal the truth of God’s salvation plan and the secret thoughts of a world that is unwilling to hear it. An aging widow, Anna, joins the group. She sings praises to God for Jesus’ life and tells people who will listen that Jesus (God saves) is the future salvation and redemption of Israel.

ROUGHING IN THE HOUSE

Talking with a friend about a book one day, he said, “I just can’t deal with this time-travel stuff and living on other worlds.”

After a moment, I asked, “Have you stopped going to church?”

“No,” he said. “Why do you ask? I’m there all the time.”

I said, “Well, I don’t know of any other place that depends on time-travel and imagining other world outcomes more than the church and the worship service.”

Take note of this time of year. Two days ago, we told the story of Jesus’ birth. Today we have jumped two months ahead. Next week, we will travel to the beginning of time, and the week after that, Jesus will be thirty years old. The way we move back and forth through time, it is a wonder that we don’t meet ourselves coming and going along the way. Through this time-travel may we come to understand the inner thoughts of those who would oppose Jesus, the trial and death sentence to come, and then also recognize the image of the Roman sword and the cross as being one and the same.

PUTTING UP THE WALLS

The, seemingly nonsense, counting song, “The Twelve Days of Christmas”, begins with the partridge in the pear tree, emblematic of Jesus in the manger. This Sunday we see the two turtle doves in the temple sacrificed for the purification of Mary and Jesus. In addition, the doves represent Mary and Joseph by the Christ child.

This sacrifice of birds also leads us to the three French hens (the wise men), the slaughter of the Holy Innocents (male children two years old and younger ordered killed by Herod), the sacrifice of Christ on the cross, and sacrifices all parents make for their children. We are confronted with the sacrifices of many in order that we might know of our salvation which comes to us through the life, death, and resurrection of this child and the people who raised him.

HANGING TRIM

This reading is a strong reminder that there is no retirement for those living in the gospel story, then or now. We do not get to let the next generation tell the story as we recline in our loungers or proverbially rock on the porches of our homes. This story of redemption and hope for the world is a story to be told and lived by all of us—the young, the old, and everybody in between. It is as true for us today as at the beginning of Luke’s Gospel. And so, we join, repeating this great song of fulfillment, “a light to reveal you to the nations, and the glory of your people Israel.”